Financial toxicity assessment and associated factors analysis of patients with cancer in China

Purpose Cancer-related expenditures present a lasting economic burden on patients and their families and may exert long-term adverse effects on the patients’ life and quality of life. In this study, the comprehensive score for financial toxicity (COST) was used to investigate the financial toxicity (FT) levels and related risk factors in Chinese patients with cancer. Methods Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire covering three aspects: sociodemographic information, economic and behavioral cost-coping strategies, and the COST scale. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with FT. Results According to 594 completed questionnaires, the COST score ranged 0–41, with a median of 18 (mean±SD, 17.98±7.978). Over 80% of patients with cancer reported at least moderate FT (COST score